Learning the periodic table can feel like trying to remember a bunch of boring, strange names. It can be frustrating because there are so many elements with weird, hard-to-pronounce names. Sometimes, it feels like no matter how hard you try, you’ll never be able to memorize them all. The stress of it can make your brain feel like it’s going to burst, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed.
I totally understand, because I’ve spent hours trying to remember these elements myself. After a lot of effort, I discovered a much easier and fun way to remember them. It’s even better than using mnemonics or singing the Periodic Table Song.
There are two key methods for memorizing the periodic table: using Images (or events) and locations. These images come from your imagination, and they might seem weird or even silly—and that’s okay! Don’t worry if your pictures don’t feel realistic; once your brain has saved the information, these images will fade away.
Let’s get started!
First, I’ll share my favorite places that will be part of the journey. These are places I visit a lot, and we’ll use them to help remember the elements:
My Favorite Route:
- Bedroom
- Restroom
- Restroom Mirror
- Kitchen Area
- Dining Table
- Living Area
- Bathroom
- Closet
- Study Area
- Laundry
- Basement
- Staircase
- Garage
- Front Yard
- Letter Box
- Back Yard
- Roof
- Guest Room
- Balcony
- Front Road
School Locations:
- Classroom
- Library
- Cafeteria
- Gymnasium
- Principal’s Office
- Computer Lab
- Science Lab
- Art Room
- Music Room
- Auditorium
- Playground
- Restroom
- Locker Area
- Counselor’s Office
- First Aid Room
- Staff Room
- Sports Field
- Hallway
- School Lobby
- Parking Area
Grocery Store Locations:
- Fruits and Vegetable Section
- Dairy Section
- Meat Counter
- Bakery
- Frozen Foods
- Seafood Section
- Beverage Aisle
- Cereal Aisle
- Snacks Aisle
- Health and Beauty Section
- Cleaning Detergent Section
- Pet Food Section
- Spices and Herbs Section
- Clothes Section
- Hardware Section
- Study Material Section
- Pharmacy
- Bedsheet & Curtain Section
- Shoes and Sandals Section
- Cash Counter
Now that you know my favorite places, you can do the same! Think of places you visit often, like home, school, or a grocery store. Walk through those places in your mind and write down each spot that feels easy to remember.
Once you have your list, practice going through it so you know it by heart. If any place feels tricky, switch it to something easier for you.
When you’re ready, we can use your journey to start memorizing the elements in the periodic table! For now, I’ve made a journey with the first 20 elements to get you started. You can keep adding more as you go!
Journey to Remember the Elements
Bedroom:
I wake up in my bed and see a huge picture flying around. It’s a poster of a big explosion, like the one from Hiroshima. This reminds me of Hydrogen (H), which is everywhere in the air.
Washroom:
I get out of bed and go to the washroom. There are a lot of balloons floating up to the ceiling. I wonder why they aren’t coming down, then I realize they are filled with Helium (He), which makes them float.
Restroom Mirror:
After washing my face, I grab my toothbrush, but it falls and the battery pops out! It reminds me of Lithium (Li), which is used in batteries.
Kitchen Area:
After brushing, I feel hungry and go to the kitchen. I see my breakfast spinning on a big shield like Captain America’s! This reminds me of Beryllium (Be), a strong metal like the shield.
Dining Table:
I sit at the dining table with my breakfast, and the soft tablecloth reminds me of Boron (B), which helps make things strong and light.
Living Room:
After eating, I go to the living room. The sunlight shining in reminds me of Carbon (C), which is in everything that’s alive.
Bathroom:
Later, I decide to take a bath. I see fog escaping through the vent, and it reminds me of Nitrogen (N), which is also in the air.
Closet:
After my bath, I open the closet to get dressed. An oxygen mask falls out, reminding me of Oxygen (O), which we need to breathe.
Study Room:
Dressed and ready, I go to my study table. I see a bright, glowing sign that says “Smile!” It reminds me of the glowing Neon (Ne) lights you see at night.
Laundry Room:
I remember I need to wash clothes, so I head to the laundry room. There’s an old glowing lamp, and it reminds me of Sodium (Na), which helps lights glow.
Basement:
I hear a noise in the basement and go down to check. I see a big mouse running by a bottle of vitamins. It reminds me of Magnesium (Mg), which is good for health.
Staircase:
As I walk back upstairs, I trip over a giant shiny soda can. It reminds me of Aluminum (Al), which is used to make cans.
Garage:
In the garage, I see a shiny computer chip glowing with light. It reminds me of Silicon (Si), which is used in computers.
Front Yard:
In the front yard, I accidentally spill some fertilizer, and it smells funny. The smell reminds me of Phosphorus (P), which helps plants grow.
Letter Box:
At the mailbox, I see a bright yellow warning sign that says “CAUTION: SULFUR!” It reminds me of Sulfur (S), which has a strong smell.
Backyard:
I head to the backyard to clean the pool. I see the blue color of Chlorine (Cl), the same thing used in swimming pools to keep the water clean.
Attic:
In the attic, I find an old gas tank used for parties. It reminds me of Argon (Ar), a gas that makes lights glow.
Guest Room:
In the guest room, a light shines on a bottle of potassium vitamins. It reminds me of Potassium (K), which helps keep our bodies healthy.
Balcony:
I go to the balcony to check my plants. One plant is growing strong because it has Calcium (Ca), just like the calcium that makes our bones strong.
Front Road:
As I walk down the road, I see a big scanner in the middle. It reminds me of Scandium (Sc), a rare metal.
Using a fun story like this helps you remember the elements of the periodic table easily. By linking each element to something familiar in your everyday life, it becomes much simpler to recall them when you need to. Try this method and see how quickly you can remember the first 20 elements and later you can add others elements on the way.
